WELSH universities, including Aberystwyth, have welcomed proposals that will see the biggest change to student finance in Wales in a generation.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams announced that the ambitious plans will see all students get £1,000 a year before a means-tested grant to help with living costs.

The tuition fee grant of £5,100 will be scrapped and replaced with a maintenance grant of just over £8,000 for students from the most disadvantaged families, while students from households earning more than £59,200 now - not £80,000 - will only be eligible for the basic £1,000.

Course fees will be paid back through a loan which students will start once they have graduated and started earning more than £21,000.

Ms Williams’ recommendations come after the Diamond report, released in September following a three-year review, recommended changes to the finance system to help grow Welsh universities.

Ms Williams said the Welsh Government was looking to introduce “the most generous and progressive system anywhere in the UK”.

“If you want to go to university, this system will allow you to do so,” she said.

“Academic ability should determine whether you go to university, not your social background.”

Chair of Universities Wales, Prof Colin Riordan said: “The further commitment by Welsh Government today to finding a sustainable solution for both students and universities in Wales is very welcome.

“Universities Wales believes that means-tested maintenance grants for Welsh students will give many more talented people the opportunity to transform their life-chances through going to university."

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